What a Nurse Practitioner can do.

For those who have not been to a Nurse Practitioner, the following is a list of the services provided at the Clinic. There is very little in primary healthcare that N.P Tracey Payne cannot do, but if you are unsure of something you need, please call the Clinic to inquire.

What is a Nurse Practitioner?

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a primary care provider, very similar to a family physician, who practices from a nursing focus and background. NPs have been helping to improve access to primary health care all over the province, as well as in the rest of Canada. In British Columbia, NPs are licensed and regulated by the College of Registered Nurses.

What do NPs do?

NPs have a very similar role to that of a family physician. An NP practice does not require physician supervision.

Depending on your health care needs, NPs will work with you individually or in collaboration with specialists and other physicians as required. For some, an NP is your primary care provider. Other patients continue to see their family physician as well as an NP to help manage their health care needs. In these cases, all results from blood tests, x-rays, or other investigations are copied to your doctor and to your NP.

For patients who have a primary care provider elsewhere, the NP will encourage prescription refill and regular visits with your own primary care provider for your safety and continuity of care. If you plan to consult both a physician and an N.P., you should make sure your family physician has agreed to shared care.

What services can NPs provide?

NPs provide comprehensive care to include:

Diagnose disease/illness and provide treatment.

Order lab tests, x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRIs (new), and review the results with you.

Refer to specialists, such as dermatologists, cardiologists, surgeons, neurologists, and orthopedics.

Perform annual complete physicals, including PAP tests, as well as provide episodic care as required.

Provide prenatal and postnatal care.

Perform well baby and well child examinations and check-ups.

Provide education and work with communities to help improve health.

Perform drivers’ physicals.

Perform blood tests.

Please note: While blood tests can be performed by the NP, the Clinic now provides lab technicians who come to Sayward from Campbell River on alternate weeks. This gives our NP more time to do other work, so please use them. Lab days are now on Mondays.

In some instances, NPs also work with patients who require close monitoring in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary health care team.

The Health Authority recently put out this video about the Nurse Practitioner role. It can be accessed via the attached link: